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Epic Battle Encounter Ideas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
stupidmop
Jul 08, 2009 20:47:16 Hello all,

This thread is asking help in thinking of small encounters that, when strung together, give the illusion that the PCs are involved in a great battle. Let me first explain the backstory and the party before I get into my questions.

My campaign is centered around the opening of a "rift" that will allow Orcus and his armies to march into the world. In our world, this happened once in the past and the armies of the world were able to defeat Orcus and send him back to Hell. However, his followers have campaigned to open another rift, which the PCs have been tasked with preventing.

Unfortunately, they failed.

A couple sessions ago, the PCs had a major encounter against the main antagonists in the campaign and could not prevent the enemy from opening the rift. The rift was opened in an ancient dwarven city, built deep within a mountain, in a large open-aired cavern. The city is somewhat unique: it was built of an island of rock within this gargantuan cavern, with bridges leading to the main roadways, cut within the cavern walls, that lead to the surface. Since the opening of the rift, a vanguard force of Orcus has poured into the city and have held it. They also destroyed the bridges to the city (so the city is now essentially a floating island of rock within a great cavern). However, much to the PCs's surprise, Orcus's army was much smaller than anticipated: the rift was not large enough to allow for an entire army to advance through. As it stands now, the force was merely a vanguard that is tasked with holding the rift until Orcus's wizards can devise a ritual to open it farther, so as to allow the main attack force through.

The PCs are high ranked officers in an army of warforged, dwarves, men, and elves poised to strike at the city. The dwarves have suggested using flying machines, ships that are small enough to navigate the tunnels to the city, but large enough to house about fifty soldiers, to make drops into the city. Once the drop is made, the PC vanguard force can hold a beachhead while wizards prepare some ritual to make a temporary bridge, which will allow the majority of the alliance soldiers to advance into the city.

The party is small: (1) Half-elf bard; (2) eladrin beastmaster ranger; (3) dwarf avenger. They will be level 10 or 11 during this encounter.

So that is where I am. I intend to allow the PCs to take part in the planning of the attack, and presumably make the jump into the city. I plan on having an initial encounter of many "wave" attacks, where the PCs cut down wave after wave of minions, in some kind of Helm's Deep battle, which my players have requested they would like to do. I intend the final battle to be an encounter against the leader of the vanguard force, perhaps were the rift is held. However, between points A and B I am pretty open to anything. I was thinking of having the dwarven King be taken hostage and having the PCs go in after him.

Essentially, I am looking for encounters that focus on the PCs, but can be themed for a giant battle, and will make the PCs feel like they are part of this epic war effort. Any ideas?

*I wrote this very quickly and assume there are many typos. I will come back and edit it when I have some time!
#2
divokej
Jul 08, 2009 21:16:09 You can have objectives for the PC's and their forces. Say, there's a tower in a neighberhood of low houses that's occupied by serious artillery. Your PC's need to take them out so their forces can advance on the houses without being completely taken out. Is this the kind of thing you had in mind?
#3
stupidmop
Jul 08, 2009 22:57:21
You can have objectives for the PC's and their forces. Say, there's a tower in a neighberhood of low houses that's occupied by serious artillery. Your PC's need to take them out so their forces can advance on the houses without being completely taken out. Is this the kind of thing you had in mind?

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Thank you!
#4
divokej
Jul 09, 2009 1:06:54 Great! Need more?
#5
stupidmop
Jul 09, 2009 20:58:21
Great! Need more?

Bro, I could always use more ideas.
#6
divokej
Jul 09, 2009 22:23:06 I didn't want to impose, you know?

Okay so.

The dwarves know of a tunnel that will lead from alliance controlled lands to behind demon lines. Your party has to take their force (or just them, depending on how you want it) and make sure the tunnel is clear and then establish a perimeter for the rest of their boyos. And girlos.

Your group spearheads an assault. They have to push down two blocks and then head left and go back to the front, cutting off some kind of demon leader from the rest of his army.

Then there could be a kitten they have to rescue.

Your PCs have to help plan stratagey.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 stupidmop Jul 08, 2009 20:47:16	Hello all, This thread is asking help in thinking of small encounters that, when strung together, give the illusion that the PCs are involved in a great battle. Let me first explain the backstory and the party before I get into my questions. My campaign is centered around the opening of a "rift" that will allow Orcus and his armies to march into the world. In our world, this happened once in the past and the armies of the world were able to defeat Orcus and send him back to Hell. However, his followers have campaigned to open another rift, which the PCs have been tasked with preventing. Unfortunately, they failed. A couple sessions ago, the PCs had a major encounter against the main antagonists in the campaign and could not prevent the enemy from opening the rift. The rift was opened in an ancient dwarven city, built deep within a mountain, in a large open-aired cavern. The city is somewhat unique: it was built of an island of rock within this gargantuan cavern, with bridges leading to the main roadways, cut within the cavern walls, that lead to the surface. Since the opening of the rift, a vanguard force of Orcus has poured into the city and have held it. They also destroyed the bridges to the city (so the city is now essentially a floating island of rock within a great cavern). However, much to the PCs's surprise, Orcus's army was much smaller than anticipated: the rift was not large enough to allow for an entire army to advance through. As it stands now, the force was merely a vanguard that is tasked with holding the rift until Orcus's wizards can devise a ritual to open it farther, so as to allow the main attack force through. The PCs are high ranked officers in an army of warforged, dwarves, men, and elves poised to strike at the city. The dwarves have suggested using flying machines, ships that are small enough to navigate the tunnels to the city, but large enough to house about fifty soldiers, to make drops into the city. Once the drop is made, the PC vanguard force can hold a beachhead while wizards prepare some ritual to make a temporary bridge, which will allow the majority of the alliance soldiers to advance into the city. The party is small: (1) Half-elf bard; (2) eladrin beastmaster ranger; (3) dwarf avenger. They will be level 10 or 11 during this encounter. So that is where I am. I intend to allow the PCs to take part in the planning of the attack, and presumably make the jump into the city. I plan on having an initial encounter of many "wave" attacks, where the PCs cut down wave after wave of minions, in some kind of Helm's Deep battle, which my players have requested they would like to do. I intend the final battle to be an encounter against the leader of the vanguard force, perhaps were the rift is held. However, between points A and B I am pretty open to anything. I was thinking of having the dwarven King be taken hostage and having the PCs go in after him. Essentially, I am looking for encounters that focus on the PCs, but can be themed for a giant battle, and will make the PCs feel like they are part of this epic war effort. Any ideas? *I wrote this very quickly and assume there are many typos. I will come back and edit it when I have some time!
#2 divokej Jul 08, 2009 21:16:09	You can have objectives for the PC's and their forces. Say, there's a tower in a neighberhood of low houses that's occupied by serious artillery. Your PC's need to take them out so their forces can advance on the houses without being completely taken out. Is this the kind of thing you had in mind?
#3 stupidmop Jul 08, 2009 22:57:21	You can have objectives for the PC's and their forces. Say, there's a tower in a neighberhood of low houses that's occupied by serious artillery. Your PC's need to take them out so their forces can advance on the houses without being completely taken out. Is this the kind of thing you had in mind? That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Thank you!
#4 divokej Jul 09, 2009 1:06:54	Great! Need more?
#5 stupidmop Jul 09, 2009 20:58:21	Great! Need more? Bro, I could always use more ideas.
#6 divokej Jul 09, 2009 22:23:06	I didn't want to impose, you know? Okay so. The dwarves know of a tunnel that will lead from alliance controlled lands to behind demon lines. Your party has to take their force (or just them, depending on how you want it) and make sure the tunnel is clear and then establish a perimeter for the rest of their boyos. And girlos. Your group spearheads an assault. They have to push down two blocks and then head left and go back to the front, cutting off some kind of demon leader from the rest of his army. Then there could be a kitten they have to rescue. Your PCs have to help plan stratagey.